Embedded Interpretive Types for Translation-Time Error Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing programming languages struggle to effectively handle logical commonality between different implementations at translation time, leading to inefficiencies and errors, particularly in cases where differences are based on types or constants, and current approaches like macro preprocessing and templates are cumbersome and error-prone.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of embedded interpretive types (EITs) that allow variables and constructs to be resolved and evaluated at translation time, enabling translation-time checking and avoiding runtime binding, while maintaining compatibility with conventional types and grammar.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If macro preprocessing is used to handle logical commonality, then code reusability is improved, but error detection is delayed and debugging difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs translation-time evaluation of embedded interpretive variables to resolve commonality issues before runtime execution. This preliminary action allows error detection to occur during translation rather than runtime, while still achieving code reusability through parameterized templates that can be instantiated multiple times with different type parameters.
2Reliability
If run-time checks are performed to ensure type safety, then reliability is improved, but execution overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs type safety checks during translation-time evaluation of embedded interpretive variables rather than at runtime. This preliminary verification ensures type safety is established before execution, eliminating the need for runtime type checking and thus avoiding execution overhead while maintaining reliability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If C++ templates are used for type-parameterized types, then code generality is improved, but error detection is delayed to link time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs translation-time evaluation of embedded interpretive variables within templates to detect errors during translation rather than at link time. This preliminary error detection maintains code generality through template parameterization while improving reliability by catching errors earlier in the development process.
4Reliability
If Java generics with constraints are used, then type safety is improved, but language complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts type safety verification to the translation-time evaluation of embedded interpretive variables, separating this concern from the core language grammar. This extraction maintains type safety while avoiding the need for complex generic constraint syntax, thus reducing language complexity while preserving reliability.
5Productivity
If static instantiation is performed at translation time, then runtime overhead is reduced, but adaptability to runtime parameters decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses embedded interpretive variables that can be evaluated at translation time when their values are known, providing static instantiation and reduced runtime overhead. Simultaneously, the system maintains adaptability by allowing runtime parameterization through template instantiation with different type parameters, effectively combining static and dynamic approaches where appropriate.
Data Source
AI summary
A programming language is extended to have embedded interpretive types (EIT) that define objects and variables to be resolved at translation time. A variable or data element having a type that is one of the EITs is referred to as an embedded interpretive variable (EIV). A control construct containing an EIV is interpreted (i.e. executed) at translation time.